Spiritual Lust vs. Bliss of Christ, Part 1

Spiritual lust is a dangerous addiction, as deadly as heroin. Craving ecstatic feelings more than Christ alone will murder your destiny and…your sanity.

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3 NASB

Spiritual Lust Disdains Simplicity

I’ve seen many – dear to me forever – who left Jesus and lost reality over silly flights of fancy: Satan’s seduction of false experiences that mean nothing and gain nothing of the true knowledge of Christ. Once you touch the ‘high’ of fake bliss, you are hooked on experience, and the simplicity of Christ is not enough for you. You must have your next soaring religious fix.

What beautiful words “the simplicity of Christ.” Complexity and grandiosity are seductive tactics of the enemy to flatter our ambitious minds, a trap of his deceiving…actually to leave the Lord. Such satanic delusion feeds on bitterness with God, just as with Eve, that “He has not given me enough.”

The Simplicity of Christ

The exquisite nature of Christ is His simplicity, His way of being that we can scarcely see. It takes blank obedience to have the smallest glimpse of the beauty and wonder of His simplicity. The Son of Man was human, divinely so. Fully human and fully divine, He was altogether both in one Person and that – to my amazement – is the simplicity of Christ. For the glorious Son of God to be fully human, common, poor and ordinary! That is shocking. Unlike us, Jesus lived in utter satisfaction with His state and being, yet He was utterly transcendent over our very same human condition! It’s truly amazing.

Moment by ordinary moment, Jesus was simply Himself-in-God and that was fullness enough for His deepest satisfaction.

We sheep are such simple beings; really, we cannot tolerate unending excitement or trauma. That is why “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.”

Why? Because our nature, our new creation, is made in Christ’s brilliance of simplicity. And when we lust to be more than ordinary clay vessels, we are opening the door to madness.

Comments:

Posted by SamSeptember 23, 2015 at 4:28 pm

Unlike us, Jesus lived in utter satisfaction with His state and being, yet He was utterly transcendent over our very same human condition! It’s truly amazing.

Yes. AMAZING.

Thank you for bringing this up. The simplicity of Christ… what a rare thing to behold in these craving and deluded days.

Wow Martha, thank you. This post is so weighty to me. It resonates with my spirit and puts the doubts and confusions of my mind and turmoil of my soul to rest. Receiving His simplicity in a fresh way this morning.

Thank you Martha! You nailed it in this article today. Sadly, there are so many in charismatic circles who equate that grandiosity with spirituality. But as you so eloquently pointed out, it only leads to madness!! Oh how I pray that God would restore his people to the simplicity and humility that is in Christ!

“…when we lust to be more than ordinary clay vessels, we are opening the door to madness.” That is truth – I feel it whenever I let my heart grow discontent with my circumstances. I would quickly spiral into madness if it weren’t for Him strengthening and calling me to keep my mind set on Him.

Oh Bless you Martha for continuing not only to give us knowledge of the Holy Lamb but more insights on our natures that you began in the Following the Lamb conference. This so struck me about my old nature of craving ecstatic feelings and Lusting for grandiosity……..but not for you I would still be stuck there. THANK YOU THANK YOU